Nerissa Chegwidden is a civil engineer and the CEO of a 100% women-owned and managed engineering company operating across southern Africa.
The firm specialises in project management, logistics and commodity trading, with operations in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia. She is also the founder of Women in Transport South Africa (WITSA), an initiative that aims to train women to enter the mining and transport sector, from drivers and operators to entrepreneurs.
Chegwidden says: “Women are underrepresented in national and regional policymaking related to mining, critical minerals, and related fields, leading to policies that may not adequately address their needs or the needs of their communities. Women give a different perspective that is often overlooked yet critically needed.
“A simple example that comes to mind is that we have female operators on mines, driving heavy-duty trucks, but there are so few trucks stops that have female toilets or showers. As much as women’s empowerment is promoted, it is not implemented with a holistic view because the actual voice or involvement of women in making these policies is lacking. This is, unfortunately, just one of many examples.”
